The week in burlesque news.

Darlinda Just Darlinda

Consider this exceptionally critical advance warning: Darlinda Just Darlinda is coming to the Northwest in September. Aside from being one half of the phenomenal burlesque duo The Schlep Sisters (producing shows like Menorah Horah and The Burning Bush vs.The Second Coming), Darlinda is also co-producer and member of Dangerous Curves Ahead: Burlesque on the Go-Go. She’s a longtime faculty member at the New York School of Burlesque and was a competitor at Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2012 for the title “Miss Exotic World, Queen of Burlesque”.

Aside from her many well-deserved titles (voted into the “Top 100 Burlesque Dancers In the World”, winner of the Liz Renay look-a-like contest, and recipient of 2009 Golden Pastie Awards for “Biggest Hair” and “Most Innovative and Creative”) – she also happens to be one of the most inspired, atypical, and fearless burlesque performers I’ve ever seen. Darlinda is a rare kind of artist, one that bravely takes burlesque to a whole new realm of live performance. Whatever her act, whatever her costume, it’s as though she’s pummeling you with living, breathing, in your face, extra strength WOMAN. I love her, and you will too.

Here’s one of the acts she performed in Seattle a little over a year ago for Let My Bunnies Go that left me speechless:

We’ll have more news on possible Portland and other Northwest appearances for Darlinda in the next month, but for now you can register for her classes at the Academy of Burlesque: “Oh How I Love You! Connecting with the Audience” can be found HERE and “Shimmying up the Burlesque Ladder: Getting Booked” is HERE.

In other news, it has just been announced that BurlyCon is going for a rather unusual world record this year…from the communications desk of BurlyCon came this press release:

BurlyCon, the educational and social convention for the burlesque community, will hold a Guinness Book of World Records Attempt for the “World’s Largest Fan Dance” during the November 1-4, 2012 event. Now in the fifth year, BurlyCon is a fixture of the booming burlesque festival circuit and attracts hundreds of burlesque performers, fans, and aficionados from around the world for a full weekend of classes, panels, networking, shopping, and social events. This year’s Guinness Book of World Records Attempt will involve over 250 burlesque dancers executing fan dance choreography in “traditional” costumes at The Seattle Doubletree Inn near the SeaTac Airport.

Inspired by an offhand suggestion from local sensation Waxie Moon, Executive Director Miss Indigo Blue contacted the Guinness World Records association. When BurlyCon was granted the attempt, Blue said “we’re absolutely thrilled. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the current popularity and historical relevance of Burlesque, particularly at Seattle’s own BurlyCon Convention!” Blue expects several local luminaries to participate in the attempt, including The Shanghai Pearl, Sydni Deveraux, Inga Ingenue (Miss Viva Las Vegas 2011), and the aforementioned Waxie Moon.

International stars and Guests of Honor Miss Dirty Martini, Miss Exotic World 2004, and Julie Atlas Muz, Miss Exotic World 2006 are expected to attend the event, and Catherine D’Lish has been invited to participate. All three are currently part of the Cabaret New Burlesque troupe, which was featured in the Cannes Award-winning film “Tournee” by Mathieu Amalric.

The Shanghai Pearl and her “PNW GLITTER PAC” (Pacific Northwest Glitter Political Action Committee) have a throbbing, glittering hard on for a very special cause. BURLESQUE FOR BARACK will take place August 31 at West Hall. The lineup so far includes El Vez, Heidi Von Haught, Armitage Shanks, Aleksa Manila, Randi Rascal, Fuchsia FoXXX, Violet Tendencies, Scandal from Bohemia, Flirty Sanchez, and more to be announced soon. More on this show to come…check back for details or visit HERE.

And last – Ruby Mimosa of the newly open-for-business Burlesque Boutique interviewed me (my first reverse interview ever) over HERE. Check it out! I run my mouth loud and proud about a few of my favorite things…